Nothing to Fear Except Fear Itself
by Shay59317
Summary: "You know that Dad climbed all the way up the ladder to reach me, sit me on his lap, and push us down the slide." Again, he nodded, even without her asking him for confirmation. "There was something that he told me while we were up there that has stuck with me ever since. He said, 'The only thing we have to fear is fear itself, Elena.'"


**Nothing to Fear Except Fear Itself**

Through the darkness, Jeremy spotted the sleeping form of his sister sprawled across the center of her bed. Trying not to wake her, he hooked his grubby fingers into the duvet to climb his way up the side of the queen sized bed and pushed off the carpet with his tiny legs to rest over Elena's peaceful bubble.

He didn't want to wake her, but the thunder was so scary. He just couldn't bear laying in the pitch black darkness of his room any longer. He heard nothing but the sound of the wind swishing into the window, the quick flash of light bouncing off the walls of his room from the lightning, and soon after came the loud booming of the thunder echoing all around him—and maybe the occasional creak of wood from the floor below.

He would've spent the night in his parents room like he usually did when a harsh storm like the one they were having now struck, but unfortunately they were caught at an event hosted by the hospital that their dad was required to attend to. Miranda Gilbert, their mom, came with their father as his plus one, leaving the two siblings alone for the night.

Jeremy's efforts to get onto Elena's bed didn't go completely unnoticed by the slumbering ten-year-old. The sharp jostling of the blanket caused her to shift in her sleep. Fingers gripped onto sheets, legs tangled into covers, and Elena's foot found Jeremy's, smacking into his with a surprising amount of force. A startled yelp forced its way past his lips.

" _Jeremy_?" Elena whispered, voice thick with sleep.

"Hi," Jeremy said shyly, feeling a little embarrassed. Elena was instantly alert at his confirmation.

"Are you okay, Jer?" Elena asked worriedly, wondering why her eight-year-old brother was sitting nervously beside her at what must be the middle of the night. Just as he was about to answer, another _crack_ echoed throughout the house, causing his large brown eyes—ones that directly matched her own—to widen in fright and alarm.

"C-Can I p-please sleep in h-here with you?" Jeremy stuttered, his eyes continued to dart anxiously around the room, lingering on the moving shadows of the leaves blowing chaotically in the trees. Seeing her little brother so frightened beckoned a strong protectiveness to rise within her, and without another thought, Elena scooped up little Jeremy into her arms to bring him right beside her on the bed with his head resting gently on her pillows. As a flash of lightning lit up the room, Jeremy bundled himself underneath Elena's covers and scooted closer to his sister.

"Of course you can sleep in here." Elena cooed, wrapping an arm around his smaller frame. His body gradually relaxed at her gentle words, and at the feeling of safeness that overcame him when he entered the cozy cocoon of covers. At the next crash of thunder, Jeremy doesn't feel as terrified as he had the one before, but it didn't stop him from reflexively burying his face into the crook of Elena's neck in search of more comfort. Elena's hold on him never slacked, and—he wasn't sure when it began—the steady feeling of her fingers running therapeutically through his thick brown strands never wavered. Jeremy could feel his eyelids drooping at her efforts to calm him, but he wanted to ask Elena something, and he couldn't do that if he fell asleep on her.

"How are you not afraid?" Jeremy mumbled into her hair. His sister was brave, and it was one of the many things he idolized about her at his young age. Another was her kindness, which she gave out so freely, like she was doing now for him. She _could've_ told him to suck it up and go back to his room, or have scooted over and fallen back asleep without comforting him in his frazzled state, but she didn't.

"Hmm?" Elena hummed, silently asking him to repeat his muffled query. Jeremy complied and waited for her answer; he didn't want to be scared anymore, and maybe his sister could help with that. It was a couple beats later when she answered, "Remember when we went to that waterpark last summer and I got to the top of that really tall slide and was too afraid to climb down?" At his nod, she continued, "You know that Dad climbed all the way up the ladder to reach me, sit me on his lap, and push us down the slide." Again, he nodded, even without her asking him for confirmation. "There was something that he told me while we were up there that has stuck with me ever since. He said, 'The only thing we have to fear is fear itself, Elena.'" She lowered her voice in a terrible impersonation of her father as she quoted him, earning a bright laugh against her neck from Jeremy. Elena let her words sink in, still combing her fingers through the silkiness of his hair as she waited.

" _The only thing we have to fear is fear itself,_ " Jeremy repeated, eyes fluttering shut once more at her ministrations. "What's that mean?"

"It means that you don't have to be afraid, Jer, because it's nothing you can't overcome." Elena replies simply.

"So, you're saying I shouldn't be afraid of the loud BOOM because it'll be gone in the morning?" Jeremy infers, peeking out from under her hair to look her in the eyes imploringly.

Elena gives him a proud smile, "That's exactly right, Jer."

He ducks his head bashfully to tuck his head underneath her chin before asking, "But I can still stay here 'til the morning, right?"

Elena chuckles, but responds seriously all the same, "Whenever you're scared, you can come here to sleep." She can feel him grin against the flesh of her neck at her answer. The siblings stay quiet, listening to the howling of the wind, and the thunder rolling around in the distance as they held onto each other tightly.

It's only when she's halfway to dreamland that she hears, "I love you 'Lena."

She grins against the top of his head, planting a kiss to his forehead as she says, "I love you too, Jer."

Then they're asleep.

* * *

Grayson and Miranda Gilbert walk tiredly up the stairs to their bedroom, both exhausted from dancing and socializing with the guests at the hospital's fundraising event.

"Go to bed, I'll just take a quick peek into the kids' rooms." Grayson whispered into the dimly lit hallway, pressing a kiss to his wife's cheek at her nod. The closest door was Jeremy's, and he quickly minimized the distance to slip his head through the cracked door into darkness. It took a second for his eyes to adjust, and when they did his eyes furrowed at what he saw. The duvet and sheets lay rumpled around an empty indent within the heavy mattress; no Jeremy was to be found. His first instinct was to panic, but he knew in the end that it wouldn't get him anywhere. If Jeremy wasn't in his room, then he had to be in another. He just _had_ to. Worry eating at his gut, Grayson took long strides to Elena's door. Throwing out all precaution, he twisted the knob forcefully, and opened the door fully. What he saw made him let out a sigh of relief. They were both okay… _safe_. Then he took a closer look at them, saw the affectionate way they huddled into each other as they slept, and a part of him melted at the sight.

"Honey," He called to Miranda, quiet enough that the slumbering duo wouldn't stir. He heard the swift pad of feet against carpet as she made her way down the hall towards him. She shot him a curious look as she saw him planted within the doorway of their daughter's room. She inhaled sharply at the cute picture the two made cuddled together and swamped under a load of blankets. A warm smile tugged at the corner of her mouth and she leaned into her husband's side as she took in the sight of her children in their most relaxed state.

"They're adorable," she murmured to him. He nodded his agreement, taking in the scene a few moments longer. "Stay right here." He followed her demand, albeit in confusion, and waited for her return. It didn't take long, just a quick trip down the stairs, and she was back, a camera in hand. The storm had cleared earlier, as it was now around three o'clock in the morning, and the large full moon allowed for lots of natural light to flood the room; great for a good picture—which Miranda was quick to snap. Once done, they looked at the finished digital product before them on the camera and shared a knowing glance.

"This one's a keeper." Grayson whispered.

Three decades later, Jeremy, an immortal hunter, and Elena, an immortal vampire, are looking through a photo album, reminiscing of when they'd been fully human. It was a couple pages in when they'd found it, and were staring at the innocent faces of their youth. So much has changed since then. They were hardened now, damaged by grief, loss, and tragedy. But through it all, one thing remained true since that night, and the siblings uttered the words they'd spoken three decades before.

" _The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."_

* * *

 **So... What'd ya think? The idea just hit me, and I decided-Why not? I admit, it's definitely one of my shorter one-shots, but I couldn't bring myself to change it any further. As usual, read and review! Until next time...**

 **Oh yeah! About the whole, Jeremy's an 'immortal' hunter thing. It fits the story, and I figured I'd keep it. I don't think-pretty sure, anyway-they're forever young in the show, but I changed that so that the siblings were only a couple years apart in age when it's the 'three decades later' part. If you have any questions, just leave a review.**

 **Another thing, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself," is an FDR quote. I thought that was a fitting choice for this fic too. And... now I'm rambling. But now I mean it when I say- Until next time...**


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